rumour has it | ✓ [ old version ]

xxxiii. never in a million years did i expect that

CHAPTER THIRTY THREE

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I try my hardest to keep the tears from falling down my cheeks like a waterfall. There laying on the hospital bed is Julia, a breathing mask over her mouth and a heart machine beside her, beeping loudly telling me and everyone in the room that's she's alive. But apparently not for long; the words Athena said to me circle around my head as I look to the Preston's who are sitting in the room beside Julia's bed.

From what I know, Julia got cancer when Mitchell and I were beginning high school. A couple of years later, they were told that she was cancer free until at the beginning of this year it come back, but stronger then ever. The doctors say that Julia won't make it, they couldn't tell us when she'll leave us, but they did say soon. I couldn't believe it, this is what they didn't tell me.

Mitchell isn't in the room, Athena told me that he went for a walk since this hits him harder then the others. I couldn't believe no one told me and I couldn't believe that I didn't notice, Julia always seemed happy and healthy, but than again I didn't know what was happening inside.

Natalie stands up "Faye-." She says "I'm sorry you had to find out like this." She tells me and I take a deep breath. She walks toward me and wraps her arms around me, embracing me in a hug. Never in a million years did I ever expect this. I wrap my arms around her in return, hoping to provide her with the same comfort she's providing me with.

We pull away "are you all okay?." I ask her, this wasn't about me. This was about Natalie, Mr Preston, Athena and of course, Mitchell. Mitchell's been there for me and now, it's my turn to be there for him and his family and that's what I plan to do.

Natalie smiles a saddened smile "no, we didn't expect for this to happen this quickly, we thought we had more time-." She explains, her voice croaking when she speaks "Mitchell's worst then all of us though, he's always been close to Julia and this is hitting him hard." She finishes and I rub her arms in hopes of comforting her.

Mr Preston stands up from his seat and walks over to us before taking his nearly to tears wife in his arms. Clearly, Mr Preston is struggling too, his hair is a mess on his head and his eyes are red and his cheeks are stained from the tears he's cried. It's his mum, he's losing his mum, a mum he's known his whole life and that's probably tearing his heart apart.

"Do you guys need anything, a cup of coffee or anything to eat?." I ask them.

They shake their heads and it's understandable, at a time like this they probably didn't care about eating or drinking coffee while a person they loved was on their deathbed "I'll be back soon." I inform them before exiting the room and walking in the direction of the cafe that I saw walking here.

I take a deep breath. What am I going to do? I didn't know how to help anyone in this situation, I lost my birth mum without knowing her and yea, it hurt, but probably not as much as knowing her and then her dying. I can't comfort someone, I'm still in pain from knowing that my birth mum is dead. I know I look like a mess, my hair is messy since I didn't brush it and my body is covered with grey sweats and a very baggy t-shirt, but luckily enough I'm wearing a cardigan that covers everything that the shirt doesn't.

Once reaching the cafe near the entrance of the hospital, I turn in the opposite direction of the cafe and instead, walk into the toilet before standing in front of the mirror. I couldn't eat or drink; one, because I had no money because I left my purse at him and two, because I didn't feel up to it. I knew that what I consumed would come back up and goodness knows that I didn't want that.

Even though, Julia isn't related to me, I feel like she's family to me. During this month I got to know her as well as her grandson, she adores that boy to death and is very kindhearted. She spent an hour in the garden digging up flowers for me and even though, I didn't like them, I'm glad I kept them because at least I'll have something to remember her by.

My eyes connect with my own in the mirror. The tears that were in my eyes cause my them to look glossy, I tilt my head back, so I can hopefully put the tears back into my eyes. I know I could cry because I'm alone and I'm allowed to, but I knew that if I started I wouldn't be able to stop and that wouldn't be fair to the Preston's especially Athena and Mitchell.

I close my eyes and mentally beg for Julia to be okay.

"Please be okay." I mumble, hoping that if I say it out loud she will be okay.